Get Virtual Care
For Businesses
About Us
A member asked:
Is there a medical reason not to have a water birth?
5 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Yes: A water birth puts a baby at unneeded risk without providing any benefit. To be blunt, the water will become contaminated with fecal matter which the baby can aspirate. This has resulted in neonatal deaths. The diving reflex often postulated to prevent this only occurs in cold water. Laboring in warm water can be helpful to moms trying for a drug-free birth, but please deliver in chair or bed.
Answered 2/29/2016
6.6k views
No: Water birth is not dangerous as long as the baby is brought out of the water after birth. Do not hold the baby under the water after it is born. It may continue to get oxygen from the placenta, but can still inhale water and be injured from this. Many women find waterbirth relaxing and it can be done safely.
Answered 4/10/2019
6.6k views
Related Questions
A member asked:
Can stress cause pre term birth/pprom? I hear stress can cause it, but then others say it can't. Which is it? Water broke @ 35.5 wks.
A doctor has provided 1 answer
A member asked:
If water breaks at 35.5 weeks, is that always considered pprom or prom?Or just pre term birth? No medical issues or infections. Baby born 14 hrs later
A doctor has provided 1 answer
A member asked:
Can 20-min hot water foot bath raise body temperature high enough to damage the fetus or cause birth defect? Thanks in advance.
2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
A member asked:
What to do because my periods are very irregular. Does anybody know of a birth control that does not cause water retention and weight gain?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
A member asked:
Can birth control pills cause frequent urination, nausea, dizziness l found on a website that these pill cause water retention.is it true?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
People also searched for:
What is the reasoning behind water births and are they more comfortable or even safe?
Hi I want to ask if you have Eclampsia and you give normal birth to your baby can it cause to baby's hart to just give in with no medical reason?
Is tap water safe to drink daily, or does it have contaminates that are bad? just wondering if there's any medical reason to filter water
Is it bad to take birth control on and off? Keep forgetting to take daily. Can oral birth control cause you to retain water?
When i drink water or iced tea, i can feel it rise back up into my esophagus shortly after i've swallowed it. Is there a medical reason for that?
Didn't find what you're looking for?
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more.
Ask your questionMore of what we treat
Download HealthTap
Video visit and message your doctor
